Is It Really Possible for the Media to Influence Public Opinion?

The influence of media is becoming more and more prominent as the world advances. Between continual news reports, celebrity updates, and social media, the public opinion is heavily influenced. We, as a society, are told how we should think, act, and feel about certain situations. The media has an advantage of portraying something in a certain light that makes the public think it is okay. More recently than ever before the topic of gay marriage, gay couples, and gay rights has been the highlight of media. “Today, about 55 percent of Americans support same-sex marriage; it is now legal in 17 states, seven of those having acted in the past year alone. The civil-rights journey for African-Americans took more than a century. The women's suffrage movement began in colonial days and wasn't finished until the early 20th century. But the equal-rights movement for gays gained momentum in what seems like the blink of an eye (Cook).” It is no secret that there are differing opinions on this subject; however the media has been putting a positive spin on the subject. One example in particular is what has been going on with Disney Channel. This well known channel, home of many popular kid and pre-teen T.V. shows, has just debut its first openly gay couple. If you have kids, younger siblings, or recently graduated high school, you are probably familiar with the show “Good Luck Charlie”. A recent episode revealed one of the characters having two moms and it is not something that is just implied, it is actually said out loud: “Oh, she has two moms!” This is now seen as completed accepted on Disney Channel which kids are watching and being influenced by. At such a young age, they see this and start accepting it as the norm and the correct way of living when in fact it is not. The media is influencing their opinion and views.

Another example is the Grammys. At one point during the night, they had a time set aside where gay couples had the opportunity to be married....